Premier League: Manchester United – Chelsea

The stage is set for a major clash between Manchester United and Chelsea, but first, we must highlight Saturday’s Premier League betting tips. They proved highly successful, with all seven (!) recommendations delivering returns. Only the evening match between Wolves and Palace ended in a push, but the first six matches of Saturday all resulted in wins. The biggest payout came from Newcastle’s home victory over Arsenal. We also correctly picked Chris Wood as a goal scorer, over 2.5 goals in both Liverpool vs. Brighton and Bournemouth vs. Manchester City, as well as Southampton’s first three points of the season.

Moreover, it was an impressive Saturday for Liverpool, who not only came back to win against Brighton but also saw their closest challengers drop points.

A Tough Challenge for Interim Boss Van Nistelrooy

Heading into the weekend’s fixtures, Manchester United were 14th in the Premier League table and had failed to score in two of their last three home league matches. On the opposite side stands a Chelsea team that, with 11 goals, is the highest-scoring away side in the Premier League this season. This poses a new and difficult challenge for the underperforming Red Devils, but there were signs of renewed energy as Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge for the first time as interim manager earlier this week.

“We want to have plenty of possession, play offensively, and give the fans something to cheer for,” the Dutchman said before their League Cup match against Leicester, and he delivered.

Aware of the Terms

Both Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes scored, with Garnacho also adding his name to the scoresheet as United secured a 5-2 victory over The Foxes, earning a quarterfinal spot. The performance delighted fans so much that many took to social media post-match to express their desire for Van Nistelrooy to continue leading the team for the rest of the season. However, the man himself is fully aware that his current role is temporary.

“It was clearly communicated that I would only be here to help during a transitional period, and I think that’s fair. I’ve been given this role to assist the club during a challenging time, and I remain highly motivated to do so in any capacity until a permanent manager is appointed. After being the interim manager, I’ll gladly return to my assistant contract, which runs through this season and the next,” Van Nistelrooy said to the English press after the emphatic win over a depleted Leicester in the League Cup.

Deserved Praise

Enzo Maresca has received well-deserved praise for his work with Chelsea since the summer. The only losses have come against Manchester City and Liverpool, with only City scoring more than Chelsea’s 19 goals. However, challenges remain for the London club, particularly in defense, as they have conceded 11 goals so far. It’s also worth mentioning that Chelsea has had a bit of “luck” in the early part of the season.

With Cole Palmer on the pitch, Chelsea has a match-winner unmatched by most in the Premier League. Seven goals and five assists make him the league’s undisputed points leader, and his offensive presence is one of the main reasons Nicolas Jackson has become a driving force in the team’s attacking play. The former Villarreal striker has recorded six goals and three assists in his first 696 Premier League minutes this season.

Betting Favorite

Maresca’s men have won three of their first four away matches this season, with a total goal tally of 11-4, making them slight betting favorites ahead of their trip to Old Trafford. However, they haven’t won there in four attempts. The 4-3 victory at Stamford Bridge in April, when Cole Palmer scored two late injury-time goals to turn the match around, is their only win in the last eight encounters with Manchester United. Picking a winner this time is anything but simple. Managerial changes often reinvigorate teams, something Manchester United has proven on several occasions in recent years.

Predicting goals feels easier. Manchester United’s offense gained confidence with five midweek goals, while Chelsea boasts two of the top five point leaders in the Premier League. Head-to-head statistics also suggest goals: the last three meetings have produced a total of 15 goals.

Manchester United – Chelsea

Ruud van Nistelrooy will be in charge for three more matches before Ruben Amorim takes over permanently following Erik ten Hag’s departure. The stakes are high—failure to win today would mark United’s worst start to a season since Sir Alex Ferguson became manager in 1986. Nonetheless, there are good chances to climb the table, as they face Leicester, Ipswich, and Everton—all sitting in the relegation zone—after Chelsea.

Van Nistelrooy will likely be without Antony, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, and Leny Yoro.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have only lost three of their last 24 Premier League matches, with defeats coming against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool. However, they haven’t won at Old Trafford since 2013. Maresca has no injury concerns, though Jadon Sancho is ineligible to play against the club he is loaned from.

Betting Tip

Both teams have defensive issues, and although only Palace and Southampton have scored fewer goals than United this season, United have underperformed the most in terms of expected goals (6.8). The last six meetings have seen both teams score, including the 4-3 result in April in Chelsea’s favor. We recommend betting on “both teams to score.”